One thing, says Alethea. One thing. The. One. Thing. You need to write.

I love her. But this was hard. Until I realized I could make a tiny tweak to our theme. Maybe it’s not the “end all, be all” of writing necessities, but I’ll tell you what, I do much better in its comfy embrace. Without the nighttime, my words would be like sad little kids sitting on a bone-dry slip ‘n’ slide with a water hose stuck in the yard across the street guarded by a frothy-mouthed attack monster of your choice.

Man, that’s not a pretty scene. But hopefully this poem is. Thank you for letting me share why I love to write at night…

In early 2011, my decade long writer’s block broke open and I dreamed of a Steampunk universe that did not exist within the genre itself.

Nowadays I confidently write Steampunk adventures and culinary cozy mysteries, but I didn’t know that’s where I was going when I participated in my first NaNoWriMo in 2011. My anxiety about writing was so bad the only way to combat it was to write by hand so I did. I have several notebooks filled from that month to prove it.

In that Steampunk Universe Bible I created my main character had a sister that was just the cook, Alex LeBeau, while the group traveled, but LeBeau became something more and it was through the food she… Read the Rest…

Today is release day for Mermaid Pintip Dunn’s debut novel, FORGET TOMORROW! That’s right. It’s finally here, today Nov. 3, 2015, from Entangled TEEN! And borrowing a bunch of sparkle tosses from Mermaid Kerri, we also have a video to share and a raffle to help us celebrate! (READ MORE…)!

Pintip is giving away a signed hardcover copy of FORGET TOMORROW to one lucky winner! (U.S. only). Please click on the Rafflecopter below for a ton of easy ways to enter, including watching the book trailer above. Enter today! Contest ends Tuesday, November 10. Winner to be announced by Friday, November 13.

My first foray into National Novel Writing Month was 2004 — I finished the first draft of a novel. Unfortunately, it clocked in at a measly 36,000 words. That’s right, to date, I have never successfully “won” NaNoWriMo. I’m hoping this year, that will all change.

I often get asked about my writing schedule, or what my writing area looks like. My answer is always: HA! I have yet to establish the Perfect Workplace, or the Perfect Daily Schedule.

The Waterworld Mermaids are battling Romance on the Rocks — it’s all about who will write the most words as a team. The winner will receive a pretty badge to post on their website…but mostly, we want bragging rights!

Also this month, the Waterworld Mermaids will be hosting authors from all over the world — they’ll be stopping by the lagoon to tell you all about one thing they cannot write without.

Oh yeah. NaNoWriMo 2015 is going to ROCK! Waterworld Mermaids versus Romance on the Rocks? Oh yeah. We’re doing this! I don’t even need to tell you the rules or answer the question why, right? Let’s dive into the smack talk! The Waterworld Mermaids intend to drown ROR’s blog community in alliteration, great plots, alpha heroes, steamy sex scenes. Okay, the WWM steamy sex scenes would come from Mermaid Kerri and me mostly:), and of course, plain, old-fashioned combat, loosely disguised as fun!

What a way to heap more stress and paranoia onto our writing lives! And again with the right?

And yes, this was a decision mutually agreed upon by all of the Mermaids and Romance on the Rocks. Not just me trying to come up with a blog post for today. So, here’s what’s up, and you’re welcome to join us—if you don’t mind getting wet!

Talented rock guitarist Beth Collins has been barely holding herself together for months, ever since her boyfriend and bandmate became the latest victim in a string of suspicious disappearances. When her brother is injured an accident and she sees something dark billowing around him as he hovers close to death, she’s convinced her sanity is collapsing for good.

Then she’s accepted by a boarding school for the musically gifted. All of her new friends are bursting with talent, but they’re also keeping secrets. Can she trust Vincent, who’s so sweet… Read the Rest…

It’s cover reveal day for Illusion by Lea Nolan. This is the third book in The Hoodoo Apprentice Trilogy, and I am so excited because all three books are getting gorgeous new covers! Check it out!

Title: Illusion

Author Name: Lea Nolan

Release Day: October 5th

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

About Illusion:

New school. Cross-country move. Broken heart. If only these were Emma Guthrie’s worst problems as the first day of her sophomore year dawns. Instead, she must battle a trio of enemies—human and spectral—who may or may not have joined forces against her. All while pretending to be over Cooper Beaumont, her ex-boyfriend and true love, to shield him from her arch-nemesis’s revenge.

Worse, when the fight escalates, Emma is tempted to use the black magic she’s always fought against, endangering her own soul. As her enemies close in, join forces, and fight with new and dark magic she’s never seen before, Emma must finally harness… Read the Rest…

Andrew was killed on Friday by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan while serving our country. I never met him, but he was deployed with a family member who is still out there, giving her best, and what he did, he did for you and me. My most heartfelt and sincere thoughts are with his family, his fellow troops, and all those he did this for.